Saddle shoe mystery solved at Illinois Capitol

When construction workers recently discovered an old-fashioned pair of saddle shoes in the basement of the Capitol, it evoked images of secret meetings, hard-drinking lobbyists and shady politicians.

But it turns out the shoes were just a recent fashion mistake by a legislative aide.

Matt Paprocki tells Illinois Public Radio he wore the shoes to work in 2009 and was mocked by co-workers. He says they questioned whether he could see properly after buying such ugly shoes.

Paprocki says he stashed the shoes in a hidden cubbyhole in what was then his office. He forgot all about them until he read recent reports about some of the strange things uncovered in a major renovation project at the Capitol.

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